Never Let Me Go
by natthatfangirl
Summary: They say love is the strongest force in the universe, stronger than all evil. Can love conquer the forces intent on destroying the one Spencer loves the most? When Toby's life is on the line, Spencer is determined to track down and destroy A once and for all. Her love and devotion may be the only thing that can save Toby and take down the greatest of all evil.
1. Chapter 1

"More coleslaw?" Toby asks, his cheeks puffed with a peanut butter sandwich.

Spencer laughs at his chipmunk-like appearance and gladly accepts his offer. "Please, God, swallow."

Toby smiles, peanut butter covering his teeth. He swallows quickly, then laughs along with Spencer.

"I'm really glad we got to do this," Spencer says, reaching for his hand.

"Me too, Toby says, wiping jelly off of his face. "Finally, a moment of peace away from A. Just you and me."

Toby had taken Spencer for a picnic in Rosewood Park. Since they didn't get the opportunity to spend much time together lately, he went all out for the occasion. He neatly laid out a blanket with elegant plates and silverware, along with homemade food of all sorts.

And the day was perfect. A slight breeze blew through the air, making Spencer's hair slightly sway in the wind - which made Toby smile. The trees gave them just enough shade in the hot spring sun, as well as camouflage to the nearby people. No one could see them. They were completely alone.

Spencer leans forward, kissing Toby's lips. "You taste like peanut butter," she giggled.

Toby wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her close to him. He kisses her forehead as they sit silently, soaking in their solitude.

"I love this. It's perfect," Spencer says.

Toby runs his fingers through her hair. "Anything for you," and he kisses her cheek.

"Thank you," she says, gazing into his blue eyes. She loves to look at his eyes, the way they light up his face and make her feel warm.

"Hey, no biggie," he says. "I wanted to do something special for you."

Spencer kissed his lips, pulling him closer. The two fell gently onto their backs, kissing each other as they lay on the soft blanket.

When their kissing ceases, Spencer smiles broadly and gazes at Toby. "I never want this to end."

"Me either," he agrees. "But we have to go." He shows Spencer the time on his phone.

"No," Spencer groans. She tilts her head back and sighs. "Is it time already?"

"Sorry, Spence, we need to get there by 5:30. They're probably waiting already."

The two stand up and begin to pack up their things. Suddenly, a _BANG _sounds off in the distance, and Toby screams, falling to the ground while clutching his leg.

"TOBY!" Spencer screams, rushing to his aid. She drops the picnic basket and falls beside him. Blood is seeping through his jeans.

Frantically, Spencer grabs a knife from the basket. With shaky hands, she frantically wildly slices open his pant leg, revealing a gaping wound in his calf.

"Oh my God, Toby…" her voice trails off as she cries, tears dripping onto his leg.

"Spencer…" Toby says achingly. "Get out of here. Whoever shot me could be close by."

"No, I'm not leaving you!" she screams. She scrambles for her phone and quickly dials 9-1-1.

As she speaks to the operator, Toby never lets go of her hand. He groans and cries, tears flooding from his eyes. But he will not lose his touch with Spencer. He feels the life draining out of him, being ripped away from him. He closes his eyes, letting himself drift into darkness, smiling as feels Spencer's hand more time.


	2. Chapter 2

_He lies beside her, blood dripping from his body and staining her clothes. His blue eyes gaze into her, looking at her one last time. They close, and he's transported far, far away, somewhere where he can never return. _

_She cries, tears falling onto his lifeless body. Her tears fade away into nothingness just as he does, dissipating into the air forever-_

"HUH!" Spencer shoots upright. _It was all a dream, _she tells herself. But when she turns her head, she sees her hand clutching Toby's pale, bruised hand. He lies unconscious on the hospital bed, gripping Spencer's hand tightly in his sleep.

She shakes her head, having to take in the fact that Toby really _was _hurt. And here he is, lying motionless on a bed, his fate entangled in a web of mystery.

The only hope she has is the heart monitor connected to his body. It beeps steadily, reminding her that his heart still beats strong, and it beats for her. Only for her. His hand that grips hers remains warm as it clutches hers. He seems to be holding onto her to grasp on to life.

"Toby," she whispers, tears clouding her vision. "Please wake up."

She racks her brain, trying to fathom who would ever want to kill Toby. As she recalls the events of yesterday, she remembers glancing at the vast woods. Had there been something - some_one _out there? Had she seen the outline of a figure? She wanted to - no, _needed _to figure this out. She wasn't going to let whoever did this get away with it.

Spencer leans over, kissing Toby's cold forehead. She isn't sure, but she thinks she sees the corners of his mouth curve upwards into a slight smile. She smiles knowing somewhere, he knows she is there, and he is content.

A nurse enters the room, and the aura shifts. Everything turns cold and grim.

The nurse's appearance makes Spencer chuckle to herself; her hair is sloppily pulled into a bun that is sliding down the side of her head. Her enormous teeth stick out, and Spencer compares her to a beaver. Her nose is crooked as well, and it reminds Spencer of a witch. _What _happened to this poor woman? Spencer has to refrain from laughing out loud.

She is glad that something is able to lighten her mood, especially with Toby in his state.

As the nurse continues her examination of Toby, a police officer comes in. Spencer is all too familiar with this procedure; he's here to ask questions about why another person almost died while she was around.

"Miss Hastings," the officer begins, and it doesn't surprise her that she is known by name. "Can you tell me, in your own words, what exactly happened yesterday?"

Spencer stood up, trying to sound strong. But on the inside, she was falling apart. "We were on a picnic in the park, and as we were packing up to leave, we heard the gunshot emanate from the forest, and next thing I know, he's on the ground, bleeding and in tears."

She senses a tear begin to roll down her cheek, and she instinctively wipes it away.

"What did you do when this happened? Before you called 9-1-1?"

"Not much. I was a bit too scared, but I took a knife and sliced open his pant leg to see the wound. I had to make sure it was real and that I wasn't just going insane… again."

The office nods his head, aware of what she is referring to. She can see his eyes glance at her suspiciously, and she wonders if he is going to place blame on her for this.

"Well, Miss Hastings, thank you for calling. You did the right thing. But we're going to need you to leave. Only his family can be here right now."

"But officer… he doesn't have family. His mom is _dead. _His dad is practically A-wall, and his sister - well, sister by marriage- wants nothing to do with him. I'm the only one who cares about him. I need to be here." The tears begin to stream down her face, and she can no longer keep them locked away.

The officer begins to understand, and he relents. "Alright. But you'll need to call a responsible adult who can-"

"I got it," Spencer interrupts, taking out her phone "I'm calling my mom."

Not only is her mom a lawyer and would be able to help, but Spencer needed her mom right now. She needed her mom to get her through this.

She picks up the phone and calls her mom, explaining what happened.

"Honey," her mom says, caring yet terrified tones lacing her voice. "I'll be right over."

As she hangs up the phone, Spencer turns to face the beaver nurse. The nurse's expression begins to worry Spencer.

"What?" Spencer demands. "What's going on?"

The nurse ignores her and dashes out of the room, leaving an upturned blanket where she was examining.

Spencer hesitantly makes her way to the other side of the bed, and stares at where the nurse was looking.

"Oh my god…" she whispers, her voice fading into tears.

The spot where the bullet had hit Toby's leg had turned purple and black, beginning to bulge. Blood seeps through tiny pores in the wound, rolling down his leg.

It looks worse than it did the day before. How is that possible?

The frantic nurse reappears, a doctor at her side. He shoves Spencer out of the way and examines Toby's leg.

"What's going on? Why is it like that?" Spencer demands.

The doctor ceases his exam and slowly raises his head towards Spencer.

"Honey," he says. "It looks like the bullet was poisoned."

Spencer expels her breath with shaky force. Her head starts spinning and she feels faint. _Poisoned? _

"H-how? Save him!" she cries.

"Miss, miss! Shhh, calm down, please. Look, I hate to say it, but there's only one way to stop the poison from spreading to the rest of his body."

Spencer stares at the doctor wide-eyed. She knows what's coming.

"Y-you mean…" she fades. "You have to amputate his leg?"

The doctor lowers his head and nods. "I'm sorry."

He leaves the room, leaving Spencer crying on the floor.

Her phone buzzes. She carefully picks it up with shaky hands. It reads:

You got lucky. I was going for the whole boy.

-A.


	3. Chapter 3

All day she waits beside him, gripping his cold, feeble hand. She doesn't leave his side. She watches him sleep, waiting for him to open his eyelids so she can see those beautiful blue eyes again. Even if it is just one last time.

After hearing the doctor's prognosis of Toby and the procedure to heal him, she wonders if their love will flourish. Toby would never be the same again, and things would likely go downhill. She doesn't want to lose him.

A tall woman with dark hair enters the hospital room.

"Mom…" Spencer says. She stands up to hug her mother, but she doesn't want to let go of Toby's hand. Her mother comes towards her and hugs her, careful not to pull her away from Toby.

Veronica looks at Spencer and wipes away the tears on her daughter's face. "It'll be alright, honey," she assures. But inside, she doesn't know what will happen. She's scared for the boy and her daughter.

"Mom… mommy," Spencer cries, tears falling from her eyes.

"Who would do something like this?" Veronica asks. "It's sick. A bullet laced with poison? It's insane!"

Spencer nods, tears streaming. "Mom, they have t-to r-remove his l-leg. It's the only way to stop the p-poison from spreading."

Veronica breathes slowly, unsure of what to say to console her daughter.

"I know," is all she can muster. "It'll be okay."

Spencer stares at Toby while her mother gently rubs her back. She isn't listening to her mother; all she can think about is Toby. Toby, with his beautiful blue eyes and silky hair, his dimpled chin and bright smile. The way he laughs, the way he isn't afraid to cry. Everything about him is perfect, and she doesn't want him to change.

Doctors filter through throughout the day, but with each evaluation, she never releases his hand from her grasp. She can't lose touch with him.

At 4:00, surgeons are prepared to perform Toby's surgery. They roll him away, and Spencer is forced to let go of his hand. As he's whisked down the hallway, she manages to whisper:

"I love you, Toby. You'll be okay. I promise."

It seems like a lifetime, sitting in the waiting room. Spencer is anxious, biting her nails and sobbing into her sleeves. The clock behind her head ticks and ticks, reminding her how much time has passed. Her mother tries to console her, but all Spencer can think about is Toby.

Hours pass, and still not one doctor comes to give Spencer an update. Not a reassurance. _They're all inconsiderate, _she thinks.

Then the worst fears hit her. Maybe they aren't telling her anything because they don't know how to explain he's _gone. _Has that happened? Has Toby… died?

She can't imagine him _dead. _She shudders at the word; died is one thing, but dead is different. Dead means forever. Once you know it is true, you cannot take it back.

All she wants is to see his face once more. To rub her fingers through his hair and kiss his forehead. Just one last time.

The beaver nurse finally exits the operating room. With teeth like those, Spencer cannot decipher whether she is smiling or stern.

Spencer stands up and faces the beaver nurse. "What's happening?" she asks, trying to sound confident.

The nurse moves her mouth in a way that could be rendered a smile, but Spencer isn't sure. She wonders if she only sees a smile because she has hope. But she has her philosophy about hope. It breeds eternal misery.

"The doctors are working on-"

"I don't care about the doctors!" Spencer shouts louder than anticipated, gaining stares from patients. "I want to know if Toby's going to be okay!'

"Honey, calm down," the beaver nurse says, patting Spencer's shoulder. "The surgeons are completing the operation. The amputation is going successfully, but we don't yet know if the poison has been removed in time."

Spencer falls down into her chair and sobs. Who would do this? She knew A had something to do with it. The text - "You got lucky. I was going for the whole boy." - A must've shot Toby and tried to kill him off. That's what 'whole boy' meant. Not just the leg. Does A think Toby will be okay? And if Toby does survive, will he become a target?

Another hour passes, and finally another nurse comes to speak with Spencer. This nurse does not have a perplexing expression - hers is stern and weary.

"I'd come say your goodbyes now, sweetie," the nurse says.

Spencer's eyes widen and her lips begin to quiver. "NO!" she shouts. She flings herself at the nurse, screaming and kicking, but her mother holds her back. Two doctors rush over and keep her contained and away from the nurse. Nearby people flee in the opposite direction. Spencer continues to scream and cry.

"TOBY!" she shouts. "NO!" she stops her screaming and begins to cry harder. She falls from the doctors' grasps and hurls herself over on the pavement outside the hospital. She sobs into the cold ground. She can feel her heart snap in two.

With shaky fingers, she pulls out her phone. She texts Aria: _S.O.S. Hospital. Please. _

Doctors are still looming over her shoulder, watching her every move. She stands up and faces them.

Shakily, she says: "I want to see him. Now." She wipes away tears as she is escorted to Toby's room.

The cold, grim room reminds her of her time at Radley. With its thick walls and gloomy atmosphere, an unsuspecting aura emanates throughout the room. Toby lies on a bed next to the wall. A monitor is connected to his chest, beeping ever so slowly. It is the only reminder that he is still alive. He can still sense her.

"Toby…" she whispers. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

She rests her head on his chest and cries. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve this. I promise you, I am going to track down A and beat the shit out of whoever hurt you. They will pay for this."

She ends her raging rant and continues to cry. She laces her fingers through his and talks to him.

"Remember when we first kissed? We had slept together that night in the motel. You… you kicked my ass at scrabble," she laughs, remembering his words. "Then that morning, we went outside so you could see me off, and you leaned in and kissed me.

"There was the time of the fair when I was trapped in that scare house. My mom and sister demanded I come with them, but I chose you. I stormed over and kissed you. I'd never felt so brave."

Spencer's tears fall onto his chest. "Then there was the night I found out you weren't really A. You told me you were just helping A to save me. We took each other back and spent the night together. I can remember your warmth. You held me in your arms and we stayed together."

She sobs quietly to herself as three nurses come in.

"We're going to start clearing this place out," one of them says, but immediately regrets it as Spencer shoots her a violent glare.

"Get out of here!" she screams. "He's not dead!"

The nurses scurry out, and the only remaining sound is Toby's heart monitor. It still beeps, and Spencer knows she has time left.

She leans over and kisses his forehead, then his cheek, then his lips. She stays on his lips for a while. "I love you," she whispers when she finally comes up. She can only pray he knows she is here, kissing him once more.

Suddenly, Toby's heart monitor begins to build up speed. It rushes and beeps furiously.

"Toby? Toby!" Spencer yells. She can't determine what this means.

And then something extraordinary happens. Toby's head rolls slightly towards Spencer, and his eyes flutter open.

His lips begin to form words. "I love you too."


End file.
